1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates generally to the field of scribe blocks used as gauges for the sizing and fitting of trim, such as the wood moldings around windows and doors. More specifically, the present invention relates to such scribe blocks that allow the user to precisely set the inside corner of the trim and the desired amount of trim setback.
2. Background
Most doors and many windows have trim around the outside of the window or the door. Most often, this trim is wood molding that must be placed around the door or window opening by a skilled carpenter. The typical door or window installation requires the wooden molding to be installed around a rectangular or square opening and set back a specified amount of distance from the edge of the door jamb or window opening. This distance is often referred to as the trim setback. Typically the amount of trim setback is very small, usually ranging from one-eighth inch to one-half inch. The skilled carpenter must ensure that the trim setback is evenly spaced all around the door jamb or window opening in order to obtain the usually desired aesthetic arrangement. The same trim setback may be used for all doors or windows in an entire house.
To install the trim, the typical carpenter utilizes tools such as a tape measure or combination square or an xe2x80x9ceyeballxe2x80x9d approach that is an estimate of the necessary setback. Most known gauges used to set the amount of trim setback are rather large and somewhat unwieldy to use and are not able to accurately set the 90xc2x0 inside corner around the door or window opening. In addition, many of the prior art trim gauges that are available are manufactured for a certain amount of setback and do not allow the carpenter to adjust the gauge for desired amounts of setback. Those that are adjustable do not allow the user to precisely set and lock in the amount of setback for a desired job (i.e., all the doors in an entire house).
Setting the inside corner of the trim, which is the corner nearest the corners of the door jamb or window opening, is difficult to do with presently available tools and trim methods. None of the known trim gauges allow the user to precisely and concurrently set the 90xc2x0 inside corner while allowing the user to adjustably set the amount of setback. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,703 to Craig, U.S. Pat. No. 1,433,559 to Lowenstein and United Kingdom Patent No. 595,190 to Kullager-Fabriken disclose various gage blocks that could be used to set the amount of set back, but do not allow the user to precisely set the inside corner, particularly concurrent with setting the amount of setback. Although the above-described patents, as well as other related patents, describe trim gauges, none of the related art devices describe, singularly or in combination, a trim gauge or scribe block that concurrently allows the user to precisely set the inside corner of the trim and the amount of trim setback in a small, easy to use device. Consequently, a need exists for an adjustable scribe block that is easy to use and allows the user to concurrently set the inside corner of the trim and the trim setback distance.
The adjustable scribe block of the present invention provides the benefits and solves the problems identified above. That is to say, the present invention provides a scribe block that can be adjustably set for the desired amount of trim setback and which allows the user to concurrently set the inside corner of the trim. The present invention is a small, hand-held device that is easy to use to quickly set the inside corner of the trim and the amount of trim setback.
The scribe block of the present invention has a first body member and a second body member, each having opposing first and second ends and generally planar engagement surfaces that are in facing relationship to each other. The engagement surfaces must allow the first body member to slide relative to the second body member. The longitudinal axis of the first and second body members are parallel to each other and, in the preferred embodiment, a slot is disposed through the first body member along its longitudinal axis. The first ends of both body members are shaped to a 90xc2x0 angle for fixing the inside corner of the desired trim. A locking mechanism fixes the longitudinal offset of the first body member relative to the second body member. The longitudinal offset is set to the amount of trim setback desired for a particular door or window trim. In the preferred embodiment, a pin member is disposed in the slot to prevent rotation of the body members relative to each other. In an alternative embodiment, the first body member can be slidably disposed in a cut out section of the second body member to prevent rotation of the two body members relative to each other.
In the preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism comprises a screw member that is disposed in the slot in the first body member to be threadably received in a threaded opening in the second body member. To facilitate locking the two body members together, one end of the screw member can have a locking arm so the user can twist the screw into place. A nut or head on the locking arm can be configured to abut against the first body member upon tightening of the locking mechanism.
The adjustable scribe block of the present invention can be made out of metal, plastic, wood or other materials into a small, hand-held gauge for precisely setting the amount the trim is set back from the door jamb or window opening. To allow the user to accurately set the amount of trim setback, the scribe block of the present invention should include markings on either or both body members that indicate the amount of longitudinal offset between the body members so that the user can set the trim setback distance.
Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide an adjustable scribe block that allows a user to precisely set the trim setback distance and the inside corner of the trim for placing molding or other trim around doors and windows.
It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a hand-held, easy to use adjustable scribe block that locates the inside corner for door or window trim and which can be set to precise trim setback amounts.
It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide an adjustable scribe block that has two body members which slidably abut each other, a mechanism for preventing rotation of the body members relative to each other and a locking mechanism for selectively locking the body members together at the desired amount of trim setback distance.
The above and other objectives of the present invention will be explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows. As set forth herein, the present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination of parts presently described and understood by the claims.